


Forgotten but not Lost

by Novarover



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Genre: Alternate Universe, Boys Kissing, M/M, Post-Apocalypse, pawnshipping
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-10
Updated: 2017-04-07
Packaged: 2018-10-02 06:24:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10211561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Novarover/pseuds/Novarover
Summary: A series of moments shared in the lives of two lonely travellers.Alternate Universe.





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A quiet conversation in an age in when humanity is fading out.

 

Humanity never fell, not with any loud or calamitous event. It was more that it aged, grew faster than it could keep up with; and then, as humans do when they get old, it declined. Settled back in its chair and slowly fizzled out, quietly retracting its limbs, and let the land return to itself. Now the biggest human settlements are either close knit communities picking livings in the skeletons of old megacities, struggling to live whilst surrounded by the discarded carcasses of the sky-scraping technological age, or small out built villages who live off the land, self-sufficient farming groups who hang on to the last vestiges of their freedom whilst the wilds around them reclaim the earth they used to own.

 

It was common for the pair to find themselves spending days without seeing anybody but each other. They could pass through whole towns, deserted in years long past, now overgrown with trees sprouting through fractured concrete roads and climbing plants ensnaring entire buildings. They could pass acres of unkempt farmland, or find themselves stranded as the road they were following disappeared into a now flooded area, forcing them to turn back.

It wasn’t as if they were going anywhere though. In this age of decline, some people had chosen a life on the road over spending the final days of humanity struggling onwards in some commune or another.

 

They only carried the bare minimum with them as they travelled. Most notably a camera phone, manufactured years before either of them were born and now mostly obsolete. Its only use was to collect their memories of places they’d seen, its limited internal storage used sparingly, carrying pictures which would never be printed.

Besides that they carried necessities like food and water, spare parts, clothes and tarpaulins; the bare minimum for living on the move.

The most treasured possession, however, was their faithful motorbike. A mishmash of make do parts and custom additions. It had a hybrid engine designed to take whatever they could find for fuel, as petrol was rather hard to come by, while also able to charge on solar power. It was worn, but sturdy.

 

 

They sat on a sandy bluff overlooking the sea- the sun had set hours ago, but they still sat watching, a gentle warm breeze rolling in from across the bay.

The sky was clear and the stars bright- the calm water reflected the vast expanse of space above them to make it look as if they were sitting on the very edge of the world.

 

“This is the end, isn’t it?” said Yugo, eyes cast lazily to the sky above.

“Mmhmm,” Yuri answered, sighing, and leaning in to rest his head in the crook of Yugo’s shoulder. “I guess it is the end for humanity. But it’s not as if the world is going to stop spinning once we’re gone. Life will go on, even if it isn’t ours.”

 

“It’s sad though. It feels as if once everyone is gone it will all stop existing- if there is no one left to see it, who’s going to remember it?”

Yuri frowned, then said “you see over there? Do you remember that town?”

Yuri waved his arm across the bay, pointing at a patch of darkness which had not yet been illuminated by the rising moon.

“Dunno, can’t really see anything over there now.” Yugo squinted through the darkness, bright eyes working to pick out any detail in the dark. “Maybe? I can’t tell, remind me.”

 

“It was a fishing town, when people lived there- now it’s deserted and without human infrastructure, its slowly sliding into the sea as the headland it was built on naturally retreats.”

“And?”

 

Yuri sighed. Yugo was a master when it came to mechanics, but he wasn’t always great at remembering things. That’s why the photos they’d taken were so important.

“We met there a few years ago, remember? You were scrounging whatever scrap metal you could find from abandoned homes and I was… well I was just wandering.”

Yugo’s bright laugh rung through the air. “I do remember, now you mention it. You appeared out of nowhere and asked what I was doing, giving me the fright of my life in the process.” He looked down and nudged Yuri’s head with his chin. “I almost threw the exhaust pipe I’d just found at you.”

 

“Yes, you were quite the sight to behold. Some rabid grease monkey digging through trash. Back then this town was mostly above water at low tide, but now more than half has sunk below the surface. Plants and fish have taken it back, and I don’t think anybody left even remembers its name.”

“What’s the point you are trying to make?”

 

“That it doesn’t need to be remembered. We humans are the only things that get truly sentimental about things like this. Animals don’t hold sentimental value over places and objects like we do, and once we are gone it won’t really matter anymore.”

“So, sit back and enjoy what we have now?”

 

“Exactly.”

Yuri laid back on the long grass and stared into the sky. Yugo did the same, rolling onto his side and resting his face on his hand, eyes resting on the side of Yuri’s face. He smiled.

“Who would have guessed that the ride to the next town I promised you when we met got extended by this much?”

 

Yuri laughed. “Neither of us. But you wouldn’t be able to get rid of me if you tried now.”

“I wouldn’t want to try.” Yugo whispered.

 

Silence fell between them again, and the two just lay there, taking in the ambience.

The sound of the sea below the bluff whispered in their ears, rustling the grass around them. The uninterrupted silence of the night hung in the air.

 

“Yuri?” Yugo called, now also facing the sky.

“Yeah,” Yuri replied.

 

“Do you really think this is the end?”

“Yep.”

 

“Why though? Why does it have to be like this, instead of going out with a bang or something?”

“All anyone ever wanted was a peaceful death, and that’s exactly what humanity is getting right now.” Yuri looked over as he spoke. Yugo lent him a questioning face.

 

“Humanity’s not really dying anymore; it’s been dead for years, and we are all just here to watch the funeral. It’s as if our planet has bought all the most beautiful flowers, and strewn them across its surface in mourning. All we have left to do is enjoy the parade before we ourselves also fade out of existence.”

“I suppose that’s one way of looking at it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I wrote this for a fanfic competition with my anime society, so I thought I might as well put it up here too to see what other people think of it.  
> The writing was partially influenced by this song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GieidVq3M0).  
> This is the first thing I have ever written to be read by other people, and following a couple rules so sorry if its a tad vague. Feel free to comment what you thought :)


	2. Coastal Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which bike riding occurs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since i am actually considering continuing this further i suppose i should give a few details- first chapter pretty much covers the semi apocalyptic world which is still pretty chill. In terms of Yuri and Yugo they both have their reasons for living on the road like this but still enjoy the freedom.  
> Yugo has memory issues due to an accident and head injury when he was younger.  
> Yuri is a bit screwed up because he was brought up in an abusive situation, the exact likes of which i am yet to decide.  
> Thanks for reading and enjoy :)

Yuri found that he had good days and bad days. At his worst, he would curse the world and normal conversation would be saturated with careless, spiteful words. At his best, he would let himself feel the pure freedom his current mode of life afforded. Yugo had seen it all, and still they traveled together. Sure, there had been some arguments, but Yugo was far too soft hearted to abandon someone by the side of the road, and Yuri was mature enough to make sure they talked it over. All of that was worth it though- for moments like this.

The sun was high in the sky, announcing the time as somewhere just before midday. Blue sky blotted with fluffy white clouds met by a coastal horizon surrounded them. A cool breeze blew in from the ocean, bringing with it the scent of saltwater.

Yuri sat on the rear seat of the motorcycle, arms clinging tightly around Yugo’s waist as the countryside flashed past them. Yugo was an experienced driver and they rarely came across other people, but right now they were going quite a bit faster than usual. Ahead of them stretched a gently looping coastal road which had turned out to still be in surprisingly good condition, save for a few areas where large roots had grown up through the paving.

Yugo had seen it and instantly lit up; it was the perfect road and it had been a long time since he had been able to let loose. This was the perfect opportunity.

They roared along miles of arcing roads as the wind howled through their hair. It felt as if they were almost flying. Every sudden bump in the road was a burst of exhilaration and each unexpected drop filled Yuri’s stomach with butterflies. It felt as though they were no longer earthly bound, simply spirits free to roam the endless skies.

Yuri couldn’t see Yugo’s face, but he could tell that he was sporting the widest smile. Times like this when he could be truly in his element was the happiest place he could be.

 

The amount of greenery that the world held still managed to hold Yuri in awe at times. The foothills to their left were blanketed in forests and the roadsides were almost overgrown with various plants and grasses. He had always had a love for the wonders of natural flora, although in this age it was hard to come by books or other media containing that sort of information. Almost all of his knowledge on the subject was derived from word of mouth, but the knowledge became surprisingly useful when foraging in the wild.

The smell of the forest and the sea air met as it blew past Yuri’s face and it left him feeling serene. He leant forwards and leaned his forehead on the back of Yugo’s jacket, enjoying the sensation of the cool leather on his face. He felt Yugo shiver slightly from the contact, and he squeezed his arms around Yugo’s waist in reassurance. Yuri felt a smile widen on his face.

They stopped a while after the sun had passed its apex in the sky, slowing to stationary at a high curve in the road that overlooked a grassy plain leading to the ocean. Yugo set about opening the small solar panels that powered the bike- they generally charged whenever they stopped even if the battery wasn’t particularly low to get the best possible use out of it. Yuri unpacked some food supplies and took a much-needed sip of water.

Yuri leaned over and asked, “Everything all right?”

“Yeah, no- nothing exciting, just felt like something was rattling a bit earlier,” replied Yugo, arms already buried in the internal cylinders of the bike.

 

“I’m not really surprised, at the speed you were going.”

“You say that like you didn’t enjoy it!”

 

“I never said that… I was only clinging on for dear life a little bit,”

“Yeah, I felt that.“ Yugo grinned a little and quietly returned to his fiddling.

 

Sat with legs to one side of the bike on the front seat, Yuri looked up at the sparse clouds and leant on the handlebars. The sunlight was making him somewhat drowsy and he was overcome with a sudden desire to not have to move on again today. He let his eyes sink closed and let himself focus on the sounds; Yugo, immediately behind him tinkering with something or another, the swish of the grasses as he moved about. Beyond that, the sound of the sea down the hill and the whisper of the forest uphill.

 _This life is a peaceful one_ , he thought, as he drifted into a light sleep.

 

 

Yuri woke himself with a start, limbs stiffening and heart thudding. There was a bitter taste in his mouth. He blinked in the sunlight and reoriented himself, dragging his mind back into the real world and fighting off the memories that lingered after his sleep.

A long shadow fell over him. Yugo leaned forwards with a sympathetic look.

“Not sleep well?” Yugo said, leaning on the slightly cracked windscreen of the bike.

“Ah, its nothing. Just dreams.” Yuri replied, rigidly.

 

“Mmm,” Yugo answered, knowingly. He gently pushed his hand against Yuri’s, fingers interweaving where they met. “You know you really shouldn’t fall asleep sitting on the bike. It makes it so much harder to look at the stuff you are sitting on.”

“I thought it was just a rattle.”

 

“It is, but you know, I just like to make sure; Anyways-” Yugo looked up at the sky. “-We should get moving soon, the sun says we don’t have that long before the light dips too low to ride in.”

Yuri looked over Yugo’s shoulder towards the sinking sun on the skyline. “I suppose we will have to find somewhere to stop for the night soon then.” He spoke unevenly, his mind still cluttered with disorderly memories.  Sometimes Yuri wished he could forget in the way that Yugo did; there were things branded into his mind that he’d rather not have to see.

 

“You’re pulling a face.” Yugo’s voice pulled him out of his mind once again.

“Ah, it’s nothing.” Yuri answered, gaze shifting to the ground.

Yugo stepped around the bike and leant to meet Yuri’s eye level. “A nothing face does not look like the face you might have if you’d just come across someone trampling your precious plants.”

 

Yuri didn’t answer, he just sighed and rolled his eyes, distress knotting his eyebrows.

Yugo gently pressed his forehead against Yuri’s, bright blue smiling eyes meeting downcast violet ones. A warm hand traced the line of Yuri’s jawline.

Yuri tried to speak, but his words caught in his mouth, turning into a strained sigh.

“You don’t need to tell me. I know it’s hard to talk about.” Yugo’s voice was remarkably serious, but comforting at the same time.

Yuri could feel Yugo’s gentle breath on his face, the heat from his body warming the air around them. Their noses met and Yuri raised his eyes. There was a cynical look to them, but it softened, welcoming Yugo’s gaze.

Yuri pushed forwards on his perch, tilting his head to meet Yugo’s wind chapped lips. The two shared a breath as their jaws met, holding it between them as the sun brushed their cheeks.

Yugo leaned in and deepened the kiss, whilst Yuri pushed back, lifting one hand to steady Yugo’s chin, putting his weight on the other behind him.

Yugo lifted his hand to brush a few wisps of Yuri’s hair out of the way, but ended up playing with it, flicking the ends around his fingers as he leaned back slightly. He smiled as they pulled apart, a smile that warmed Yuri to the core.

The unrest Yuri had felt a few moments before had faded with the kiss, like exhaling everything and only breathing in calm. Yugo _was_ his calm, he supposed.

 

Yugo didn’t take long packing up his tools or getting the bike ready to go. He let Yuri stay sitting on the seat as he did so- Yuri’s face was peaceful now but he seemed to be in a bit of a daze- so he decided to let him be rather than bother him too much.

The sun was rapidly approaching the horizon as they started to move once again. Yugo stayed attentive looking for somewhere sheltered to stop. Yuri held tight around his waist from behind. He leaned with his cheek to Yugo’s back, listening to the very faint but regular shudder of a heartbeat.

 

 _It’s not perfect, and it never will be,_ Yuri thought to himself as the roadside flashed past. _But in the end, I have something rather than nothing_.

Yuri smiled and closed his eyes to Yugo’s back.

_I suppose on a day like this, something is far more than I ever could have hoped for._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So surprisingly ended up writing a second chapter for this, and still have a few ideas for more.  
> Different to the first i suppose. i enjoyed writing it, even if it is a pretty small ship. Also RIP arc v, still haven't let go yet.  
> Feel free to comment :D


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